Articles tagged with Cancer Immunotherapy
Researchers at Scripps Research Institute find Runx3 protein enables killer T cells to accumulate in solid tumors, potentially improving cancer immunotherapy strategies. Enhancing Runx3 activity delays tumor growth and prolongs survival in mouse melanoma models.
A new category of immunotherapies called checkpoint inhibitors shows promise in treating cancers in HIV patients, who were previously excluded from clinical trials. The ongoing study suggests that these drugs can be safely used to manage cancer in people with HIV, providing a new hope for this population.
Ludwig scientists present updates on checkpoint blockade immunotherapies for advanced melanoma and phase 1 clinical trials combining PI3K-gamma inhibitors with PD-1 blockade. Researchers also discuss novel approaches to boosting radiotherapy efficacy and understanding tumor immune suppression mechanisms.
Patients with higher diversity of bacteria in their digestive tract had longer median progression-free survival. A favorable microbiome also was associated with increased antigen processing and presentation by the immune system at the tumor site.
Researchers found that neutrophils can inhibit T lymphocyte activity, weakening the effect of cancer immunotherapy. This mechanism, triggered by soluble mediators released by cancer tissues, can cause an 'evil alter ego' in neutrophils, making them less effective at fighting cancer cells.
The Van Andel Research Institute has been awarded two grants totaling $5.5 million to pursue clinical trials of epigenetic drugs combining with immunotherapies to enhance tumor response. The trials aim to test whether epigenetic therapies can reverse resistance to immunotherapy in lung and bladder cancers.
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center has been selected as one of four national Cancer Immune Monitoring and Analysis Centers (CIMACs) under the Partnership for Accelerating Cancer Therapies (PACT). CIMACs will provide expertise in systematic collection, processing, and analysis of blood and tumor samples to improve immun...
Researchers at Weizmann Institute of Science find that oxygen-starved killer T cells are more effective at destroying cancerous tumors and outperform regular T cells in a mouse model. The study suggests an easy improvement to existing immunotherapy protocols.
Researchers at the Netherlands Cancer Institute discovered that PD-L1 is stabilized by protein CMTM6, making it a potential new therapeutic target for cancer treatment. This finding may also improve the prediction of treatment success in patients with current PD-L1 blockers.
Lung cancer clinical trials have complex requirements that act as a barrier to development and patient enrollment. A retrospective study found an increase in eligibility criteria for medical therapy trials, particularly for cardiac, concurrent medications, and immunotherapy-related treatments.
Researchers discovered dozens of new genes involved in resistance to immunotherapy treatments for cancer patients. The study used a novel CRISPR technique to examine genetic mutations in cancer cells and their interactions with the immune system.
A new screening method using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology has revealed new drug targets that could potentially enhance the effectiveness of PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors, a promising class of cancer immunotherapy. The study identified Ptpn2 as a key gene that makes tumor cells more susceptible to PD-1 blockade.
Researchers found that generating an optimal immune response against cancer requires the cooperation of two types of memory T cells: those that circulate in the blood and those that reside in tissues. This discovery has the potential to improve current cancer immunotherapy strategies, especially in preventing metastasis.
Researchers from Nationwide Children's Hospital used a combination of immunotherapies in a mouse model of rhabdomyosarcoma, finding that combining oncolytic virotherapy and PD-1 blockades was more effective than either approach alone. This new strategy marshals more T-cells to attack tumors without increasing regulatory T-cells.
Researchers developed nanoparticles that combine two immunotherapy tactics to target and destroy tumor cells, slowing growth in mice with different cancers. The treatment showed promise in treating various tumor types without severe side effects.
Scientists developed a new way to enhance the function of immune cells that destroy tumors in multiple myeloma. By blocking a hormone-related mechanism, they restored the ability of these cells to battle tumor growth. The research sheds light on a new form of cancer immunotherapy with promising prospects for cancer patients.
Carl June, MD, a renowned cancer and HIV gene therapy pioneer, will receive the American Society of Clinical Oncology's highest scientific honor. He is recognized for his groundbreaking development of personalized chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, which has shown remarkable success in treating various cancers.
Researchers found tumor mutation load correlates with age and cancer type, potentially increasing immunotherapy effectiveness. High TML is seen in melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and tumors lacking specific genes.
A new nanoparticle vaccine has been developed to target several different cancer types by delivering tumor antigens to immune cells. The nanovaccine showed anti-tumor efficacy in multiple tumor types in mice, slowing tumor growth and extending animal lives.
Researchers at Duke-NUS Medical School and Genome Institute of Singapore have identified altered promoters in gastric cancer that change gene expression profiles, enabling tumors to evade the immune system. The study's findings may lead to new approaches for cancer immunotherapy treatment.
Dr. Neville Sanjana, a CRISPR specialist, has received the prestigious 2017 Kimmel Scholar Award to fund his study on cancer immunotherapy. His research aims to leverage CRISPR technology to comprehensively survey mutations that allow cancer cells to resist immunotherapy treatment.
Researchers at MUSC found that Th17 cells can be expanded outside the body without losing effectiveness, providing a promising alternative to classic T cells used in adoptive immunotherapy. This breakthrough enables longer window periods for obtaining effective T cells via expansion outside the body.
A new study published in Nature reveals that matching tumor size to the strength of the immune response can enhance treatment outcomes for melanoma patients. The research found that larger tumors require a stronger immune response to shrink, providing insights into why some patients don't respond to immunotherapy.
Researchers Michael Farwell and Gregory L. Beatty will receive $750,000 to develop a new tracking system for CAR T cells using PET imaging, improving the effectiveness of cancer treatments. They aim to make immunotherapies more effective in metastatic liver disease.
Carl June, a renowned immunotherapy pioneer, has been recognized as a Fellow of the American Association for Cancer Research Academy. He designed chimeric antigen receptor T cell immunotherapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia treatment. June's work has had a significant impact on cancer research and treatment.
Researchers are exploring parallels between military counter-insurgency tactics and cancer treatment, focusing on targeted therapies that harness the patient's own resources. By adopting an intelligence-led approach, clinicians can adapt treatment strategies to tackle evolving tumour genetic codes.
Thomas Gajewski, a pioneer in cancer immunotherapy, has received a $4.2 million grant to support his research on overcoming tumor resistance. His team is exploring new approaches, including drugs that enhance immune system function and the role of gut microbiota in cancer.
The DART trial is a national immunotherapy clinical trial testing leading-edge treatments for rare cancers. Patients will receive ipilimumab and nivolumab combination therapy to fight cancer, with the goal of shrinking tumors and evaluating side effects.
A new study suggests that increasing KLL-specific T cells infiltrating the tumor improves patient survival in Merkel cell carcinoma. The research team found that about 20% of patients have T cells specific for this target, which is associated with better outcomes.
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a method to 'rewire' human immune cells to sense and respond to tumor signals, potentially overcoming immunosuppression in cancer treatment. The customized function could also be useful in fighting other diseases.
Researchers developed an artificial structure that can switch on immune cells to target and destroy cancer cells. The system mimics the cell membrane of antigen-presenting cells, which are responsible for activating immune responses against cancer.
Researchers have found a link between cancer cachexia and the failure of cancer immunotherapies in patients. By understanding this mechanism, they hope to develop combination therapies that target metabolic abnormalities or hormonal responses, increasing the effectiveness of immunotherapy for more patients.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have developed a modified cancer drug that enhances its ability to reach the brain, improving delivery and reducing toxicity. The new compound shows promise in treating brain tumors by targeting tumor metabolism and evading immune cells.
Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine have developed a novel immunotherapy strategy that targets specific types of cancer while minimizing side effects. They aim to create new and more effective immunotherapies by modulating T cells with a fusion protein.
The Houston Methodist Research Institute has established a research center focused on the physics of cancer immunotherapy, exploring physiological changes during cancer progression. The CITO will combine cancer immunology, biotechnology, and transport oncophysics to reveal how immunotherapy works in cancer patients.
Researchers discovered that the experimental drug AMPI-109 works by flipping a molecular switch on PRL-3 enzyme, which initially puts cancer cells to 'sleep' and then leads to their death. This mechanism could sensitize triple-negative breast cancers to immunotherapy, offering new treatment options.
Researchers found that certain immune cells can recognize cancerous changes before a human tumor is clinically recognizable. However, these T cells are quickly silenced by the tumor, making them non-functional. The study's findings highlight potential strategies to rescue and improve immunotherapies, including checkpoint inhibitors.
Researchers discovered that cancer tumors starve immune T cells by shrinking their mitochondria, limiting their ability to fight cancer. Boosting mitochondrial function in T cells improves their performance and could enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy drugs.
Researchers discovered 122 genetic regions linked to immune cell infiltration in tumors, which could inform the development of future immunotherapies. The study analyzed a large public genomic database and identified new leads for cancer immunology research.
A Phase I/II clinical trial found that nivolumab reduced tumor burden in 24.4 percent of patients with metastatic bladder cancer, regardless of PD-L1 marker presence. The treatment was well-tolerated and showed a median survival of at least one year for 45.6% of patients.
Incorporating laboratory mice that are old and obese into immunotherapy treatments for cancer can hasten therapeutic breakthroughs. The use of young, healthy mice is often preferred, but this approach may not accurately reflect the human immune system's response to treatment.
Researchers developed a new approach to cancer immunotherapy by using donated immune cells to recognize and target cancer cells. The study found that adding mutated DNA from cancer cells into immune-stimulating cells from healthy donors can trigger an immune response in healthy cells, which can then be used to attack cancer cells.
A phase 2 clinical trial of pembrolizumab as a first-line systemic therapy for advanced Merkel cell carcinoma found that the treatment produced an objective response rate of 56% and sustained responses in 86% of patients. The study suggests that immunotherapy may be a promising approach for this aggressive type of skin cancer.
The phase 1b clinical trial of atezolizumab has reported promising results in 23 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Fifty-two percent responded to treatment, and median progression-free survival was 14.1 months. Another patient, Rodney Bearfoot, has remained on the study for over three years despite a stage 4 diagnosis.
Scientists have created T cells that can recognize and destroy cancer cells in pancreatic tumors. The engineered cells were able to attack tumor cells for up to 10 days without harming healthy tissues.
Mathematicians and physicians at the University of Bonn have developed a new model for immunotherapy of cancer. The method describes how tumor cells change their external appearance in response to treatment, making it difficult for T-cells to recognize them as harmful.
Researchers discover inhibiting cholesterol esterification enzyme ACAT1 boosts CD8+ T cells' antitumor activity. Avasimibe, a small molecule inhibitor of ACAT1, shows promising results in treating cancer and could be used as a complement to current immunotherapies.
Researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center have devised a new approach to engineer T cells with improved efficiency and tracking capabilities, potentially speeding up and improving T-cell therapy. The technology uses a small protein tag to purify and track the engineered T cells.
Dr. Riddell will discuss recent advances in CAR T-cell therapy, which has shown sustained regression in previously relapsing cases of B-cell malignancies. His presentation aims to outline steps to improve targeting and reduce side effects.
A Georgia State University researcher has received a four-year grant to investigate how killer T-cells can be enhanced to fight colorectal cancers after radiation treatment. The goal is to develop more effective combination treatments that combine radiation therapy with immunotherapy.
Researchers have discovered molecular changes within tumors that prevent immunotherapy drugs from killing off cancer cells. By reprogramming an epigenetic mechanism, the therapy might work for more patients, according to senior author Weiping Zou.
Dr. Carl June is being recognized for his contributions to cancer immunology, particularly his development of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. His work has enhanced the promise of cancer immunotherapy and led to significant breakthroughs in treating leukemia.
James P. Allison is being acknowledged for his discovery that blocking CTLA-4 signaling improves antitumor immune responses, leading to the development of ipilimumab, a cancer immunotherapeutic. His research has transformed the lives of patients with melanoma and offers hope for other forms of cancer.
James Allison, a renowned immunologist, has been recognized for his pioneering discovery that blocking CTLA-4 improves antitumor immune responses. His work led to the development of ipilimumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor that transformed melanoma treatment.
Research links genetic changes in bowel tumours to immune system responses, suggesting potential for targeted immunotherapy treatments. Genetic profiles could be used to diagnose suitability for immunotherapies and tailor treatment plans.
Researchers at the University of Southampton have found that a specific form of antibody, IgG2B, is more effective at stimulating cancer immunity than others. By engineering antibodies into a locked B structure, they aim to create stronger immune stimulators for cancer patients.
Researchers have identified specific genetic mutations in melanoma tumors that predict effective responses to a groundbreaking immunotherapy. The discovery, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, could lead to more targeted and personalized cancer treatments, including tailored therapies for patients with diverse tumor genomes.
Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center have made a breakthrough discovery that may lead to a reliable diagnostic test for predicting which patients will respond to immunotherapy drugs like ipilimumab. The study found that tumors with high numbers of gene mutations are more likely to benefit from the treatment.
A recent study published in The Journal of Experimental Medicine found that obesity can lead to lethal inflammation in response to certain anti-cancer therapies. This suggests that preclinical studies on young mice may not accurately predict outcomes in older patients, who are more likely to be overweight and develop cancer.
Researchers at LSU Health New Orleans have discovered that the protein Chop regulates the activity and accumulation of cells that suppress the immune response against tumors. The study found that removing Chop boosts the effectiveness of treatment, revealing it as a target for developing new immunotherapies to treat cancer.